Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gas burner apparatus, and in particular, to burner housings and plenum configurations for use with gas-fired burners, such as may be used in gas furnaces for the thermal conditioning of residential or other occupied spaces.
Gas burners, and burner housings, plenums and heat exchangers exist in a variety of configurations, depending upon the type of burner function contemplated. For example, there are gas burners and housings which are designed for radiant heating operation, in which the gas flame is contemplated to more or less reside on the surface of the burner plate or flame holder. Other burner/housing/plenum configurations are designed to provide for controlled flow of the gas and/or combustion air which is being projected through the burner plate, and the flame is contemplated as being positioned in a stable manner, extending for some distance from the burner plate or flame holder.
Generally, regardless of the particular type or intended function of the burner apparatus, all have certain common goals in their design. These include: 1) quiet operation; 2) a stable flame; 3) efficient transfer of the heat generated to the desired destination, whether it is a particular surface, as in a heat exchanger, or directly to a mass of air or other fluid; and 4) complete combustion.
One example of a prior art burner apparatus is disclosed in Naito, U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,873. The Naito '873 reference discloses an infrared gas burner plate, having a plurality of diamond-shaped depressions and projections. A number of apertures for combustion air and gas are distributed throughout the inclined surfaces of the depressions and projections. All of the apertures are the ends of parallel passageways through the burner plate, and each aperture has a diameter which is substantially less than the length of its associated passageway.
It would be desirable to provide a burner housing and plenum configuration which is configured to help maintain a stable flame, for blue flame combustion operation, over a wide range of firing rates and fuel/air ratios.
An additional desirable feature would be to provide a burner housing and plenum configuration which helps promote a quieter, improved flame geometry, with reduced flame spread and reduced tendency of the flame to impinge upon the side walls of heat exchanger structures, thereby lowering heat exchanger temperature and reducing CO generation.
It would additionally be desirable to provide such a burner apparatus as a fully premixed burner apparatus.
Still another object of the invention would be to provide such a burner apparatus which would be suitable for use in gas furnace environments.
It would also be desirable to provide such a burner apparatus as a partially premixed burner apparatus. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a burner housing which is relatively easily adaptable for use in a fully premixed or a partially premixed burner configuration, as may be desired in a particular application. Such adaptability of a single housing design can desirably simplify manufacture, production and supply.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims and drawings.